Francis Garcia | Week 13: Find Your Way Back

Photo Credit: BEYONCÉ LEGION (@Bey_Legion on X/Twitter)

When I think of memories, the first thing I think of is a rather special song that holds some sentimental significance in my life: “FIND YOUR WAY BACK” by the recently awarded album-of-the-year Grammy winner Beyoncé. The singer (whom one of my close friends did her POAS project on) takes inspiration from Mufasa and Simba’s father-and-son relationship as part of her album The Gift in honor of the 2020 live action reiteration of The Lion King and delves into the importance of origin and using the power that comes from one’s origins to navigate their way around the world. 

Every time I listen to the smooth Afrobeats spread throughout the song, I am hit with memories from my vacation in the Philippines last summer break and my brief childhood in my birthplace of Dubai as flash before my eyes. Sometimes, the nostalgia would end up being so strong that the nighttime drives I went on with my relatives in the slums of the Philippines and the walks I would take with my mom and dad on our way to my preschool would make my eyes tear up when coupled with whatever it is Beyoncé injected into the song (because it is so good!).

I continue to remain moved by the song’s lyrics of legacy, the imagery of coming back home before it goes dark, and lessons that come from past experiences. The “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” and “Single Ladies” singer starts the song with how her father used to take her “walking down the street,” calling him “daddy” and how he tells her. “‘Follow me.’” She then sings about how he would “leave [her] back home all the time” until she got “big enough to run around” and was “left outside” to enjoy herself “‘fore the street lights on.” These lyrics inspire protection for the young and practices gratitude for the memories made in the past with her loved one. The “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” would then narrate how her father asks her to “[l]ook up at the stars” because time passes for a long time, a reminder to her listeners to “remember who you are” that emphasizes how one must keep hold of their identity amidst the rapidly changing world they live in. She would continue repeating these ideas through the rest of the song until its end, all with a rather poignant tone that reflects how she reminisces on the memories she made with her father and is grateful for all that he has done for her.

Memories have the power to greatly influence our future course of action, and they are a great motivator to keep going on the path we take. They continue to remind us of who we are as individuals even when the world says otherwise, and the song places great emphasis on this through the memories of the singer-songwriter with her father in the lyrics and the Afrobeats that are representative of her cultural background and beginnings.

Let us hold on tight to the memories we make back then and now, for they will continue to remind us of and reinforce our distinct identities.

Comments

  1. Nichelle RodriguezMarch 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM

    Hi Francis! I loved that you connected this blog topic to one of Hollywood's finest musical artists. Personally, I have not yet listened to the whole album, but this blog might just be the thing to push me to do it. Your description of her music, paired with a mixture of her intention and your interpretation of her words created a really interesting read. I especially like how you turned the subject onto the audience at the end, encouraging introspection within the readers. Thank you for another banger post, Francis!

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  2. SabiKatMarch 26, 2025 at 9:53 PM

    Hi Francis! I can tel you really like Beyonce as this is the second blog I've read of yours that you ties her too. I also relate songs to memories: "Teenage Dream" has always reminded me of my Freshman year. Small moments can be memorialized through song lyrics, like how Beyonce remembered the simple act of walking around with her dad in the nighttime. Memories often influence our future as we are influenced by our experiences and lessons that we have learned over our life. Songs take us back to specific songs, serving as a tether to our past. Thank you for this provoking post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caleb TrunehMarch 26, 2025 at 9:59 PM

    Hi Francis!
    I honestly have never been a huge fan of Beyonce, but I do greatly appreciate and respect her vocals. This blog post really gave me a deeper understanding of who she is and how she impacts people beyond her voice as well. I truly do appreciate what you wrote this week and how you connected Beyonce to much more than just music or her lyrics. Your connection to greater societal issues and just current events in general was interesting. I truly enjoyed reading what you wrote this week and I look forward to reading your next blog entry!

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